Celebrate Christmas with ‘PAYBACK’ Loyalty points and Shopping at Future Group Outlets

With Christmas and New Year’s just round the corner, the mood is set to make shopping more rewarding. PAYBACK, India's largest multi-partner loyalty program concluded its nationwide media campaign that kick-started on November 15 with a grand finale this weekend. The 3-day events carried out in Mumbai and Bangalore were aimed at attracting existing and new customers of Future Group to experience shopping the ‘PAYBACK’ way. The finale was graced by celebrities who awarded the winners of “It’s PAYBACK Time” game. Now Future Group patrons across India will benefit from shopping through PAYBACK.




To win this chance, all the customers had to do was simply participate in PAYBACK game conducted inside the mall between 2pm to 9pm. The game was simple: customers had to take a plunge into a box full of points (smiley) balls. The box contained several goodies like T-shirts & mugs. A paper card with message ‘Meet & Greet stars’ was kept hidden in the box apart from multiple points up for grab. Customers could walk away with at least one gift and the lucky ones got a chance to meet Mr. Ram Kapoor. The First shopper of the hour (between 4 pm to 9 pm) at the respective malls who shopped for Rs 5000 earned 5,000 PAYBACK points straight away. Customers participated at the stores by signing up for a complimentary PAYBACK card on the spot.



Through this activity, new customers were enrolled into the program& got a chance to earn additional points for their daily shopping.For the first time customers experienced instant in- store redemption of their collected points, For example, one could buy their desired items at any of the above mentioned Future Group stores directly through the points collected across PAYBACK partners - an innovative offer not yet used by many Indian retailers. To make the shopping experience more rewarding, Future Group is issuing co-branded PAYBACK cards, which will allow customers to collect points across PAYBACK partner network giving customers an incentive to SHOP!



Expressing his views, PAYBACK India MD & CEO Mr. Vijay Bobba said, “The main strategy of this campaign was to reward loyal PAYBACK customers and to get to know new customers and attract them to stores. Our attempt was to drive brand affinity and higher engagement of customers and reward loyal customers with prizes and discounts. Our goal was to enhance the PAYBACK experience of shopping. This initiative clearly demonstrated our commitment to delight our customers who have stayed loyal to PAYBACK through the years. This further inspires us to innovate and pioneer more programs that ultimately elevate the PAYBACK customers experience to the next level.”



Speaking on their partnership, PawanSarda, Chief Marketing Officer, Future Group said, “Future Group has taken the whole concept of customer loyalty to the next level by joining hands with PAYBACK. This program enables consumers to collect millions of points across online and offline partners – with just a single card. Customers can accumulate points across Future Group formats, thereby making “shopping rewarding.”



About PAYBACK



PAYBACK is India’s first and largest multi-partner loyalty program. Consumers and partner companies gain unprecedented advantages from PAYBACK’s proven tools and processes. The largest partner portfolio and widest range of redemption points in India assure that members can not only collect points quickly from many partners using just one card but also easily convert them into attractive rewards. Companies benefit from PAYBACK’s state-of-the art direct marketing and couponing services. PAYBACK India has more than 30 retail and 20 online partners including Big Bazaar, ICICI Bank, HPCL and MakeMytrip.com.



PAYBACK’s parent, Loyalty Partner owns a majority stake in PAYBACK India. Peepul Capital and ICICI Ventures are additional investors.



With 25.5 million active cardholders in Germany and Poland, PAYBACK is Europe's leading loyalty program. Customers can collect points from hundreds of well-known partners; in-store, online and mobile and redeem these for vouchers, rewards, Lufthansa miles or donate them to charity projects. The very high redemption rate of 95 percent in Germany shows how relevant the program, its redemption channels and partner companies are for customers. Each year, PAYBACK cards are used for sales amounting to around EUR 19 billion (USD 26.7 billion) in Germany.



About Future Group



Future Group brings multiple products, opportunities and services to millions of customers in India. Future Group operates some of India’s most popular retail formats that include Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar Central, Brand Factory, Home Town, Ezone, Pantaloon, Futurebazaar.com and many more . The group also has developed significant presence in consumer finance, capital, insurance, brand development, retail media and logistics. The retail formats bring in around 220 million customer footfalls every year and provide a platform for over 30,000 small, medium and large entrepreneurs in India to sell their products and services to these customers. The group has a retail presence in 85 cities and 60 rural destinations and employs over 35,000 people directly. The company along with its subsidiaries operates around 16 million square feet of retail space in the country. While retail forms the core business activity of Future Group, group subsidiaries are present in leisure and entertainment, brand development, retail real estate development, retail media and logistics. Future Group believes in developing strong insights on Indian consumers and building businesses based on Indian ideas, as espoused in the group’s core value of “Indianness”. The group’s corporate credo is “Rewrite rules, Retain values



About the Loyalty Partner Group



Loyalty Partner is one of the leading international providers of loyalty management solutions and supplies its clients with performance marketing solutions through PAYBACK. The company also offers all the tools and services needed to implement customer loyalty programmes. Loyalty Partner has a workforce of 600 employees. The company is headquartered in Munich with offices in the United States, India, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Poland.

PMI-CII 2nd Conference on Project Management concludes

The second edition of the conference, themed, “Harnessing the Power of Project Management,” organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with Project Management Institute (PMI) came to a close on 15th of December 2011 at Hotel Leela Palace, Bengaluru.



The conference was addressed by Mr. Ambi Venkataraman Honorary Consul General India India to Luxembourg & Managing Director EMDI Europe SA Luxembourg. Mr. N Sivasailam, Managing Director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation was the key note speaker. This second edition of the conference saw over around 30 noted industry stalwarts discussing and sharing their knowledge on Project Management, and a number of case studies and experiences being shared in the conference including by: Mr. Pankaj Jain, IAS Additional Secretary, MoSPI, Govt. of India; Mr. Vittal Anantatmula, Global Management & Strategy Department Associate Professor & Director at MPM Program Western Carolina University, USA; Mr. Asim Prasad Chief General Manager GAIL, Mr. B S Sudhir Chandra Director – Project & Planning Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.; Mr. A Venkateswar Vice President Corporate Affairs, Tata Projects; Mr. S.N. Choudhary Executive Director Indian Oil Corporation; Mr. Sreenivasa Rao Vice President Mahindra Satyam Ltd.; Mr. Rajeev Chawla, IAS Spl. Secy to Govt. Revenue Dept and; Mr. Vijayaraghavan Seshadri Director, Program Management and Quality Automation Control Solutions, Honeywell Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd.


Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Mr. Raj Kalady, MD PMI (India) said, “The objectives of the conference were to help the Project Managers to learn the advanced skills and applications of projects, and throw light on program and portfolio management. With the conference focusing on the understanding of the difference between getting jobs done and achieving business results, and getting acquainted with the soft skills required in the arena of Project Management, these objectives were successfully achieved. Not only were participants exposed to the knowledge and research of various aspects in project management ‘from project teams, leaders and managers to organizational over sight collaboration management and transition of projects from research into developments, the attendees also met eminent Project Managers/ leaders to share and exchange knowledge/ success stories in order to widen their networks.”


Mr. S Chandrasekhar Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council said, “We are thrilled that the conference met with such a huge response from the industry. The Conference targeted Project Managers from Public and Private sectors, Leaders, Executives, Functional Managers, Human Resource Managers, Team Leaders and Members and Project Management Executives, Consultants, Planners, Engineers and Architects sharing their views on aspects of project management in their fields. The theme of the conference aimed to arrive at a comprehensive approach in going beyond the limits of just producing efficient goods and services. This will give a fillip to aspirant project managers, and companies that aim to promote project management processes in their companies.”




About PMI:



The world’s leading professional membership organization for project managers, PMI shares knowledge with more than 500,000 members and credential holders in over 185 countries. Since 1969, PMI has impacted more than one million practitioners, businesses, governments, students and training organizations. Today, PMI’s products and services range from world-class standards for project, program and portfolio management to five professional credentials, including the gold standard Project Management Professional (PMP®). PMI’s exclusive Global Corporate Council and European Corporate Networking Group engage large multinationals and government organizations in endorsing the value of project management. The only project management association with an established academic research program, PMI has invested more than US$14 million in support of dozens of research projects since 1997. Learn more at www.pmi.org.



About CII



CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry led and industry managed organisation, playing a proactive role in India's development process. Founded over 115 years ago, it is India's premier business association, with a direct membership of over 8100 organisations from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 90,000 companies from around 400 national and regional sectoral associations. With 64 offices and 7 Centres of Excellence in India, and 7 overseas in Australia, China, France, Singapore, South Africa, UK, and USA, and institutional partnerships with 223 counterpart organisations in 90 countries, CII serves as a reference point for Indian industry and the international business community.

Dun & Bradstreet and Central Bank of India host MSME Symposiums

Dun & Bradstreet India, in association with Central Bank of India ,organized the first of its kind ‘Knowledge Series’, focused on development of MSMEs. The platform invited notable leaders from the industry to provide insights on critical aspects like employment opportunities, technological innovations and fund raising in the MSME sector. The panel discussion on ‘Role of Entrepreneurship and Bank Credit for development of MSMEs’ was the key highlight of the seminar. The event was attended by over 100 regulators, MSMEs representatives and senior leaders from Central Bank of India.



The event also marked the celebration of Central Bank of India completing 100 years of service to the nation. Central Bank of India will be conducting the centenary celebration on its foundation day 21st December 2011. The Bank has undertaken several initiatives during the year to promote inclusive growth through financial inclusion & contribution in economic development of the nation.

Delivering the welcome address, Ms. Preeta Misra, Leader – Learning Solutions, D&B India said “It is now well accepted that MSMEs are stepping stones of entrepreneurship development, innovation and risk taking behaviour and provide the foundation for long term growth, especially in developing countries such as India. MSMEs provide employment to around 69 mn people, through 26 mn units. Moreover, MSMEs account for around 45% of the country’s manufacturing output. In recognition of this contribution, Dun & Bradstreet Learning Solutions is pleased to be associated with Central Bank of India to serve the specific needs of the MSME community with innovative, high quality, comprehensive training and education programs”.


Speaking on the occasion, Spokesperson from Central Bank of India, said, “Central Bank of India is happy to be associated with Dun & Bradstreet to conduct these MSME Symposiums as part of its centenary celebration. Over the last few months the bank has taken several initiatives to improve financing in the MSME sector.



ü The Bank has designated additional 142 branches as Specialized MSME branches taking the total number of specialized branches to 202.



ü MSME portal was introduced in the Bank’s website incorporating all our lending schemes and simplified Common Application Form.



ü Introduced Vendor (MSME Borrower) Financing Scheme



ü Introduced Dealer (MSME Borrower) Financing Scheme



ü Launched SRTO Scheme under Tie Up with automobile companies like Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland.



ü Establishment of 46 RSETI for imparting training to Rural Unemployed Youths for undertaking gainful enterprises.



ü Opened 37 FLCCs across the country”.


Her further added, “Entrepreneurship Development Programmes for MSMEs are being conducted across the country in association with Dun and Bradstreet and till date 9 such EDPs have been held. 12 more symposiums were organized in our Zonal Head Quarters in association with D&B and CARE Ratings”.


The interactive sessions were not only educative but also enabled a dialogue amongst various participants that will eventually create a robust eco-system in the rapidly evolving Indian MSME landscape. Key note addresses were made by Mr. Rakesh Goyal, Partner, Rashtriya Engineering Works and President, Association of Batala Small Industries, Mr. Y K Mahajan, Honorary Secretary, Industries Association of Chandigarh, Mr. Manish Sinha, Deputy General Manager, SIDBI, Chandigarh and Mr. B Akbaraly, Zonal Manager – Chandigarh, Central Bank of India.

ACCESS Development Services and HSBC Present Microfinance India Awards 2011

Microfinance India Awards- 2011 were presented by ACCESS Development Services in association with HSBC at the 8th Annual Microfinance India Summit 2011.




The eminent jury panel of Microfinance India Awards 2011 selected the winners on the basis of their performance in growth, social performance, innovation (process, product and technology) and promotion of responsible finance. The awards were presented to the following recipients:



* Ujjivan Financial Services Pvt. Ltd., Microfinance Organization of the Year Award for large MFIs

* Sanghamithra Rural Financial Services Pvt. Ltd., Microfinance Organization of the Year Award for small and medium MFIs

* Center for Microfinance (IFMR), Contribution to the Sector by Enabling Institution

* Prof. David Gibbons, Chairman, CASHPOR, Contribution to the Sector Award (Individual)

* Mr. Y.C. Nanda, Chairman, Agriculture Finance Corporation and Former Chairman NABARD, Jury’s Special Award for Lifetime Achievement



The distinguished Jury panel was chaired by Ms. Naina Lal Kidwai, Country Head India, Director HSBC, Asia Pacific and co-chaired by Mr. Brij Mohan, Chairman, ACCESS Development Services. The illustrious panel consisted of Vijayalakshmi Das, Managing Director, Ananya Finance for Inclusive Growth Pvt. Ltd.; Meera Sanyal, Chairperson and Country Executive, The Royal Bank of Scotland N.V.; and Dr. Arvind Mayaram, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.



Ms. Naina Lal Kidwai, Country Head Country Head India and Director, HSBC Asia Pacific, "The Microfinance India Awards, which is in its third year, aims to recognise the larger contribution of notable thought leaders, policy makers, promoters and institutions to the microfinance sector. As the sector goes through its most challenging time, the Awards reflect the changed ground realities and recognise those who have emerged as leaders, exhibiting balanced responsible growth, promoting transparency and pro-client lending practices, and above all, creating a sustainable impact on under-served communities.



The winner for the Microfinance India Organization of the year 2011 for large organizations was Ujjivan Financial Services. Ujjivan was established in November 2005 and is one of the first MFI’s in India to be established with a unique decentralised management structure operating under a hub and spoke framework. Ujjivan provides financial services to the economically active urban poor, to help build a better life.


The second award for the Microfinance India Organization of the year for small and medium organization was presented to Sanghamithra Rural Financial Services (SRFS). SRFS promoted by MYRADA lends to SHGs ensuring that the SHG decide the amount of loan and the purpose for which it should be lend further to the members. Sanghamithra has grown at a steady pace with an average of 11-18% during last three years.



The third award, Microfinance India Contribution to the Sector 2011 was honoured to Centre for Microfinance (CMF). CMF is a non profit, non partisan research centre housed within the Institute for Financial Management and Research in Chennai. CMF undertakes qualitative and quantitative research in four broad areas: Financial inclusion, livelihoods, social objectives, and policy and regulation.



The Microfinance Individual of the Year award was given to Prof. David Gibbons, founding Chairman of CASHPOR Micro Credit, the largest poverty-focused, not-for-profit MFI in India providing financial services to over 450,000 below-the-poverty-line women in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in a financially sustainable manner.



Lastly, the Jury’s Special Award was presented to Mr. Y. C. Nanda, The Chairman of Microfinance India Advisory Group and Chairman of Agriculture Finance Corporation. Mr. Y. C. After an initial career with the State Bank of India and the Reserve Bank of India, Mr. Nanda joined NABARD when it was first formed in 1983. Mr. Y. C. Nanda is the former chairman of NABARD. He is also an alumnus of Delhi School of Economics. He has been involved with a number of microfinance institutions, rural development agencies, management institutes as Director/Trustee.



As the Microfinance sector grapples with new realities and the regulations are finalized, the Awards will honour institutions and individuals that have contributed to the growth story and worked tirelessly towards financial inclusion. The inspiration behind the Microfinance India Awards is to recognize the contribution of notable thought leaders, policy makers, promoters and institutions, which help translate the vision of reaching the poorest in a sustainable manner into reality. This is the third year for the Microfinanc India Awards.







About HSBC in India



The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in India offers a full range of banking and financial services to over 1.6 million customers through its 50 branches and 150 ATMs across 29 cities.



HSBC is one of India's leading financial services groups, with over 34,000 employees in its banking, investment banking and capital markets, asset management, insurance broking, insurance, software development and global resourcing operations in the country. It is a leading custodian in India. More than 5% of India's exports and imports pass through HSBC India's banking channels. The asset management business in India is one of the leading players in the industry. The Bank is at the forefront in arranging deals for Indian companies investing overseas and foreign investments into the country. It has a fully enabled and established insurance advisory of international standards. It is one of the leading players in domestic and export factoring, and one of the leading banks for an increasing number of SMEs. With its extensive reach across Asia, the Americas and Europe, HSBC has the capacity to offer complete banking and financial solutions to India's burgeoning economy. In 2008, it acquired a majority stake in IL&FS Investsmart (now renamed HSBC InvestDirect) that has enabled it to offer retail brokerage services to its customer across a wider geography. It has also formed a joint venture life insurance company with Canara Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce that is among the Top ten private life insurers in the country today



HSBC's network of branches is located at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Gurgaon, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Mumbai, Mysore, Nagpur, Noida, New Delhi, Nasik, Patna, Pune, Raipur, Surat, Trivandrum, Thane, Vadodara and Visakhapatnam.



The Bank is the founding and a principal member of the HSBC Group which which, with an international network covering 87 countries and territories and assets of US$2,691 billion at 30 June 2011, is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.







About Microfinance India Summit



Over the last seven years, the Microfinance India Summit, organized by ACCESS Development Services, has established itself as an international conference dedicated to Indian microfinance. As the single most important platform for dialogue and learning in the sector, the two-day event attracts approximately 1000 delegates from India and abroad. Policy makers, practitioners, promoters, academics, researchers and thought leaders share their experiences on panel discussions and analyze current trends, challenges and opportunities in the sector.



About ACCESS Development Services:



ACCESS is a not-for-profit organization whose overall aim is to incubate new institutions to enable their self-sufficiency and self-sustainability. To this end, it offers specialized technical assistance under two verticals: microfinance and livelihoods. ACCESS assists the growing microfinance sector through streamlined and structured services to emerging MFIs and supports the enabling environment through the Microfinance India platform. Under the Livelihoods Program Unit, ACCESS impacts the lives of the poor by developing sustainable solutions for scaling-up their income generation activities. To optimize its resources and maximize the results of its interventions, ACCESS believes in partnering with key stakeholders in the sector in order to develop mutually reinforcing strategies, bring convergence of competencies and build consensus on key issues.

PMI-CII hosts 2nd Conference on Project Management in Bengaluru

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with Project Management Institute (PMI), is organizing the second edition of the Conference on Project Management on 14-15th of December 2011 at Hotel Leela Palace, Bengaluru. This year the conference will focus on “Harnessing the Power of Project Management.”


The conference will be addressed by Mr. Ambi Venkataraman Honorary Consul General India India to Luxembourg & Managing Director EMDI Europe SA Luxembourg. Mr. N Sivasailam, Managing Director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation will be the key note speaker. Other noted industry stalwarts, who will present case studies and share their experiences, include: Mr. Pankaj Jain, IAS Additional Secretary, MoSPI, Govt. of India; Mr. Vittal Anantatmula, Global Management & Strategy Department Associate Professor & Director at MPM Program Western Carolina University, USA; Mr. Asim Prasad Chief General Manager GAIL, Mr. B S Sudhir Chandra Director – Project & Planning Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.; Mr. A Venkateswar Vice President Corporate Affairs, Tata Projects; Mr. S.N. Choudhary Executive Director Indian Oil Corporation; Mr. Sreenivasa Rao Vice President Mahindra Satyam Ltd.; Mr. Rajeev Chawla, IAS Spl. Secy to Govt. Revenue Dept and; Mr. Vijayaraghavan Seshadri Director, Program Management and Quality Automation Control Solutions, Honeywell Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Mr. Raj Kalady, the MD of PMI (India), highlighted on the objectives of the Conference, “The conference will help the Project Managers to learn advanced skills and applications of projects and would throw light on program and portfolio management. The conference will focus on understanding the difference between getting job done and achieving business results, and getting acquainted with the soft skills required in the arena of Project Management. Participants will also get deeper knowledge of various aspects of research project management ‘from project teams, leaders and managers to organizational over sight collaboration management and transition of projects from research into developments. The attendees can meet the peers and share and exchange knowledge and increase networks. Hear success stories from eminent Project Managers/ leaders.”

Mr. S Chandrasekhar Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council said, “The conference, targeted at Project Managers from Public and Private sectors, Leaders, Executives, Functional Managers, Human Resource Managers, Team Leaders and Members will also see Project Management Executives, Consultants, Planners, Engineers and Architects sharing their views on aspects of project management in their fields. The theme of the conference is aims to arrive at a comprehensive approach in going beyond the limits of just producing efficient goods and services.”

The previous edition of the conference was held at Chennai saw over 200 speakers and participants discussing on the theme of ‘Project Management – Orchestrating Complex Projects’. With the venue at Bengaluru this year, the conference is expected to get bigger and better.


About PMI:

The world’s leading professional membership organization for project managers, PMI shares knowledge with more than 500,000 members and credential holders in over 185 countries. Since 1969, PMI has impacted more than one million practitioners, businesses, governments, students and training organizations. Today, PMI’s products and services range from world-class standards for project, program and portfolio management to five professional credentials, including the gold standard Project Management Professional (PMP®). PMI’s exclusive Global Corporate Council and European Corporate Networking Group engage large multinationals and government organizations in endorsing the value of project management. The only project management association with an established academic research program, PMI has invested more than US$14 million in support of dozens of research projects since 1997. Learn more at www.pmi.org.

About CII

CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry led and industry managed organisation, playing a proactive role in India's development process. Founded over 115 years ago, it is India's premier business association, with a direct membership of over 8100 organisations from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 90,000 companies from around 400 national and regional sectoral associations. With 64 offices and 7 Centres of Excellence in India, and 7 overseas in Australia, China, France, Singapore, South Africa, UK, and USA, and institutional partnerships with 223 counterpart organisations in 90 countries, CII serves as a reference point for Indian industry and the international business community

Pune to host PMI India Research & Academic Conference 2011

Keeping in mind the huge deficit of project managers in India, Project Management Institute (PMI) along with the support of the PMI India Academic Advisory Group will hold the first National Research and Academic Conference on Project Management with the theme "Getting India ready in a Project Driven Economy - Role of Academia" as an initiative to take project management learning and skill development ahead. The conference will be held on 9-10 December 2011 in Pune. Dr. Kamal Sharma MD Lupin Ltd. is the chief guest and will inaugurate the conference. Mr. K. B. Dixit, Executive Director (Engineering & Procurement), Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is the distinguished guest of honour at the conference.


The two day National Research and Academic Conference on Project Management 2011 aims to bring together an audience of scholars, senior practitioners and students of project management & allied disciplines. It will feature inclusive speakers and create opportunities for attendees to discuss new project management research findings & teaching methods.

The objective of the conference is to discuss and share new ideas by academicians and students with educationists and researchers. This platform will also commemorate and recognize a few noted academicians for their exceptional and outstanding contribution to the field of Project Management related to education and research. Technical papers, research papers and new findings in project management will be presented and discussed. Network opportunities will be given with peers in project management and with acclaimed academicians & researchers in the field.

The conference will have eminent personalities as theme speakers- Dr. Mangesh Korgaonker, Director General, NICMAR, Mr. K.S Ajay Shankar PMO Head -Land Rover Jaguar Project, Tata Technologies, Pune and Mr. Cherian Thomas Chief Operations Officer, IDFC Foundation. Dr. Arun Nigvekar, Ex-Chair, UGC, will deliver the valedictory address.

The other prominent speakers during the two day event are Dr. Shankar Sankaran Director, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, Prof. Nagadevara Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Prof. S. D. Kshirsagar S. P. Jain Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai, Dr. Anil Sawhney, IIT Delhi and Prof. Goutam Dutta Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad among others.

Speaking about the conference Mr. Raj Kalady, managing director, PMI India said “The conference comes at a time when businesses are getting more projects driven and there is a growing demand for skilled project professionals. The theme of the conference, Getting India ready in a Project Driven Economy - Role of Academia, stresses the increasingly important role academia must play in meeting this skill gap. We're also excited to be hosting the conference at NICMAR – who are amongst the first institutions in India to recognize the importance and relevance of Project Management education.”

PMI India will announce the winners of the PMI awards to be given away during the event recognizing Academicians who through their outstanding contributions in education, research, training, consultancy and advocacy have made extraordinary impact in establishing the role and significance of Project Management education in India. Mr. Kumar Gera, CMD, Gera Developments will be the Chief Guest for the evening Awards Ceremony and will give away the awards to the winners.

PMI India Academic Advisory Group (AAG) formed in 2009 keenly supports the conference and advocacy activities initiated by PMI in project management education and research. Its members are eminent academicians from reputed colleges across the country and also senior practitioners from the industry. The group offers guidance on project management curriculum and promotes research in the field.



About PMI:

The world’s leading professional membership organization for project managers, PMI shares knowledge with more than 500,000 members and credential holders in over 185 countries. Since 1969, PMI has impacted more than one million practitioners, businesses, governments, students and training organizations. Today, PMI’s products and services range from world-class standards for project, program and portfolio management to five professional credentials, including the gold standard Project Management Professional (PMP®). PMI’s exclusive Global Corporate Council and European Corporate Networking Group engage large multinationals and government organizations in endorsing the value of project management. The only project management association with an established academic research program, PMI has invested more than US$14 million in support of dozens of research projects since 1997. Learn more at www.pmi.org.

About NICMAR:

National Institute of Construction Management and Research (NICMAR) is a leading educational Institute established by the Indian construction industry. NICMAR is an autonomous, non-government, non-profit academic body, incorporated in India on September 1983 as a 'Society' and a public charitable 'Trust'. It is recognised by Government of India as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation - SIRO. The Institute conducts major academic programmes started with technical assistance from UNDP and academic inputs from the faculty of Loughbourgh and Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Go Cheese bags prestigious Promax award

Go Cheese, the brain behind convenient cheese like shredded and nacho liquid cheese received prominent accolades for its Go Cheezos campaign created by Warner Bros and Dream Works Entertainment at THE PRESTIGEOUS PROMAX AWARDS for the BEST BRAND – INTEGRATION PROMO on November 21th, 2011 at The Arts House in Singapore.



Go Cheezoos squeeze tube is a novel concept, launched for the first time in India and greater Asia. Parag Milk Food Pvt. Ltd. had entered into a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products which had seen legendary toon stars Tom and Jerry gracing the innovative product.


The Award was received by Mr. Rahul Akkara, Vice President Marketing Parag Milk Foods Pvt Ltd widely known as Gowardhan and Go Cheese. This is a feather in the cap for Go Cheese, having won the GOLD AWARD. This award was won amidst stiff competition from leading companies in Asia.


Commenting on the Award, Mr. Devendra Shah – Chairman Parag Milk Foods said, “It’s a matter of great honour to be awarded the Gold Award at the Prestigeous Promax Awards for the best Brand- Intergration Promo. Winning encourages us to perform better and with more passion and vigor. This award backs up our promise to deliver consistently and provide best of best products to satisfy the Indian palate with International standards.”


Mr. Rahul Akkara, VP- Marketing, Parag Milk Foods Pvt Ltd said, “We are delighted to receive such a prestigious award at an industry forum. It is amazing to be a part of an organization which has consistently performed well and it’s even better when the efforts are recognized. This award only proves that our Consumers knows our potential of providing the best products which has been our hallmark since inception. It is a matter of pride to receive such prestigious accolades”.



Established in 1955, Promax is the world's premier body for promotion and marketing professionals working in electronic and broadcast media. BDA is the world's leading association of broadcast and multimedia designers. With a membership of over 4000 companies and individuals drawn from more than 65 countries, and with conferences taking place in Europe, Arabia, Africa, USA, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and the UK, Promax/BDA is a truly international organisation.



Throughout the world, the Promax/BDA awards, which are presented in each region, are regarded as the most prestigious awards for creative endeavour in this field.


About Go



GO Cheese comes with exciting varieties like Go Cheese Slices, Cheddar Cheese Powder, Cheddar Cheese, Pizza Cheese, Mozzarella Pizza Topping, Creamy Cheese Spread, Processed Cheese and Cheese Wedges.



About Gowardhan



Gowardhan, founded by Parag Milk and Milk Products Pvt. Ltd. in 1992, is one of India's largest private dairies, with an output capacity of 40 metric tonnes per day. Located in a lush green village called Manchar in Maharashtra (60 km from Pune), the cow farm the largest in India as well as Asia's largest cheese plant.



It is an ISO 9000 and AGMARK certified company, committed to international standards of product quality. The product portfolio includes Skim Milk Powder, Whole Milk Powder, Ghee, Processed Cheese, Butter, Dahi, proprietary foods like Dairy Whitener and Gulab Jamun Mix powder under the brand names of "Gowardhan" and 'Go' , all made from 100% fresh cow milk.

Metropolis Pan India survey on World Aids Day

A pan-India survey, conducted by Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. ahead of the ‘World AIDS Day’ indicates that there is maximum incidence of HIV in both males and females within the age group less than 30 years. With a total of 918, 277 people screened, the survey spans 8 major cities namely Mumbai, Noida, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh, Surat & Kerala. The survey has been conducted across 3 tests namely Western Blot Test for HIV-1 specific & 2, HIV Proviral DNA - blood by PCR & HIV-DUO by CMIA (IVth Generation test) that highlights the fact that incidence of HIV is more prevalent in younger age groups which is highly alarming.



According to the United Nations 2011 Aids Report, every day over 7,400 people are infected with HIV and 5,500 die from AIDS- related illnesses. Fortunately, there has been a 50% decline in the number of new HIV infections in the last 10 years in India. (www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/MDG_FS_6_EN.pdf)

It has been inferred that less than 30 years of age group are the maximum afflicted group. The confirmed cases with HIV infection is between 30 – 40 years of age. It has been observed that HIV infection is predominant in males over females i.e., ratio is 60 : 40 where the former is males and latter is females. Out of the screened positive tests, more than 50% are confirmed cases tested with Western Blot Test for HIV-1 specific & 2. Rate of positivity out of the screened tests is 10 % in Mumbai and Surat but 30 - 40% at other places especially north. (due to the high awareness levels & rise in the number of HIV screenings conducted at Mumbai and Surat than other parts of India)


Commenting on the survey, Dr. Mrs. Jatinder Bhatia, Chief of Lab Services, Projects – North India, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd said,” Globally, the incidence of HIV that was rapidly increasing between 1990-1996 has slowly declined between 1996-2010. Various treatment methods and awareness programs helped in controlling the disease by creating mass awareness, educating people about safe sex and ill effects of HIV infection. As per the recent data, the incidence of HIV is maximum in younger age groups i.e. 20-30 years which is a major concern”.

There have been recent advances across various fields focusing on the prevention, diagnostics & treatment of this life-threatening disease. Overall, globally, with a healthy trend of the declining rate of HIV infections, individuals have become more aware of the ill effects of the disease and therefore are more focused towards working on the preventive measures to combat the disease.


About Metropolis Healthcare

Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. was founded by Dr. Sushil Shah in 1981. The Board of Directors include Dr. Sushil Shah, Metropolis Healthcare is one of the India’s leading multinational chain of diagnostic centers across India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, South Africa and Middle East. It provides around 4500 specialized tests under a single roof ranging from oncology to genetics, molecular biology and immunoassays using best-of-breed and latest diagnostic equipment. Metropolis Healthcare Ltd has also been recently voted as the sole recipient for the Frost & Sullivan - 2010 India Excellence in Healthcare Awards - Diagnostic Services Company of the Year. Ms. Ameera Shah has won prestigious award in 2nd CMO Asia Award as Young Achiever of the year'2011 & Franchisee India - Young Entrepreneur of the year 2011.eHealth World Expo 2011 – has also awarded Metropolis Healthcare Ltd as “Best Jury Award” for ICT enabled diagnostic service provider for the project IT integration of customer service management.


Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm, has recently invested up to $85 million in Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. With 70 State of Art laboratories, Metropolis is a preferred referral center for more than 10000 laboratories, clinicians, hospitals and research institutions across 125 cities India. The CAP, US FDA for the SMO services, NABL accredited and ISO 15189 certified Metropolis chain of laboratories has over 600 collection centers and is a preferred laboratory for providing quality testing to over 50, 000 Doctors across the country. Services include Clinical Referral Laboratory Hospital Laboratory Management, Preventive Health Checkups, Home Health Services, Site Management Services and Clinical Trial

Henkel Innovation Challenge kicks off

The 5th Henkel Innovation Challenge, a global event open for students across India to compete as innovators, was announced today. The competition focuses on sustainability and entails that the innovations must contribute to sustainable development in areas such as reducing energy or water consumption.


The global competition will have teams from 14 European countries and the Asia/Pacific region compete for a top place in the challenge. This year’s international final will be held in April 2012 in Poland, the home country of last year’s winners. The winning team will receive an around-the-world ticket and a travel voucher worth €1,000.

Commenting on the ‘Henkel Innovation Challenge’, Jeremy Hunter, President, Henkel Group, India said: “The Henkel Innovation Challenge helps identify the most innovative ideas that may range from process, product or packaging. It not only awards the best innovations, but also offers young talented minds an opportunity to be mentored by experienced Henkel managers, who act as advisors guiding and coaching the shortlisted teams.”

“This challenge has given international exposure to several young innovators in the previous years. Such has been Henkel’s association with these young innovators that several of them have chosen their career paths with the company after this enriching experience through the mentorship.”

For the last four years, winners were from Europe with Spain leading at the first year’s challenge. In the second year, the team from Netherlands was declared the winner based on their revolutionary concept of Persilair, which is a small bottle of ecological friendly gas connected to a washing machine which makes it possible to wash clothes without using water. For the third year, the German team won accolades with an innovative concept of a cleaning product entitled, ‘Terra BioNet’, which works as a biodegradable surface coating that cleans all kinds of surfaces through the use of long-lasting bacteria, thus replacing the need for regular cleaning. Last year, the team from Poland won the challenge by making a powerful case for ‘Persil Oxygen’, which ensures that laundry gets done with no noise and with total ecological compatibility while hanging in the wardrobe in a clothes bag.


As part of the challenge, students from any discipline will partner up in teams of two, to develop a concept for a product under a Henkel brand.


Students interested in business, innovation and who want to pit themselves against other students on an international level must register at www.henkelchallenge.com by December 12, 2011

DHL enhances connectivity between South India and Europe

DHL, the world’s leading logistics company, today announced the launch of a Boeing 777F freighter service between Bangalore and Leipzig, in response to the growing air cargo demand into and out of South India.




Originating from Bangkok and Singapore, the new service will operate five times a week between Bangalore and DHL’s European hub in Leipzig, Germany. The new freighter will be operated by AeroLogic, a joint venture cargo airline of DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo.


India continues to be a high growth market for DHL Express and there is specific focus on investing in infrastructure, network and people in India to augment growth. This includes investments to enhance service facilities and upgrade air connectivity from and into the country. These investments will more than double the dedicated air network capacity of DHL into and out of India. South India is an important region in the country’s economy and the launch of the freighter at Bangalore is a key step towards facilitating growth in this region. DHL Express also has in-house customs clearance facility at Bangalore for faster clearances into and from South India.


The B777 freighter, which offers more than 100-tonne capacity, will boost transit times on key trade routes between Europe and Asia. With direct connectivity to and from South India locations, this new freighter service will provide enhanced flexibility in cut-off times for shipment pick-up in South India.

Commenting on the new initiative, Mr. R.S. Subramanian, Country Head, DHL Express India said: “It is our focus to align our network and services to the needs of our customers. The freighter in Bangalore is a part of this focus in boosting our air network capacity and will help our customers in South India enhanced transit times to Europe – which continues to be a key market across industries, especially for the textiles, automotive and leather industries. It will also provide improved connectivity from key Asian markets into South India.”


Today, DHL operates a well-established air network in Asia Pacific, that is served by more than 20 aircraft supplemented with over 500 commercial daily flights covering over 70 destination

DHL rolls out its biggest advertising campaign worldwide

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider, announces the launch of its most ambitious global advertising campaign across 42 key markets worldwide, demonstrating DHL’s international capabilities to meet the express shipping needs of all industries. The International Specialist campaign highlights its global expertise and enhanced customer service supported by a significant brand program.


The company is expanding its worldwide capabilities and improving customer service through a significant investment program into infrastructure, employees and the brand. As part of these initiatives, DHL Express is investing in a Certified International Specialist program, which endorses all its 100,000 employees as ‘International Specialists’ in the Express shipping industry.

Ken Allen, Chief Executive Officer, DHL Express, said, ” By continuously upgrading our global infrastructure we are ensuring that we are International Specialists of the Express industry, helping our customers reach more global destinations, significantly faster with maximum reliability and a proven expertise as pioneers of this industry.”

Metropolis Healthcare announces investment of up to $85 million by Warburg Pincus

Metropolis Healthcare Limited (Metropolis), India’s only multinational chain of diagnostic laboratories, announced today that Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm, is making an investment of up to $85 million in the company. As part of this deal, Indian private equity firm ICICI Ventures has completely divested its holding in the company, which it had acquired in 2006. The deal involves a primary and secondary component and also includes additional capital that will be available to Metropolis to pursue acquisitions.
In a fragmented market for medical diagnostic services in India, Metropolis has established itself as a national player of scale. Through a network of 45 state-of-the-art laboratories and over 350 collection centers across India, Metropolis processes over 12 million tests a year, serving over 10,000 laboratories, hospitals, and nursing homes and 50,000 doctors. The company has expanded through a combination of organic growth and partnerships. In addition to building a strong business in India, the company has successfully established its brand through 10 laboratories in Sri Lanka, South Africa and UAE. Metropolis will continue to seek attractive acquisition opportunities while expanding its delivery network and deepening its presence in current locations.

Ms. Ameera Patel, Executive Director & CEO, Metropolis said, “Since our inception in 1981 as a Mumbai-based laboratory, Metropolis has been setting industry benchmarks time and again. Over the years, we have built India’s only multinational chain of diagnostic centers, and today the brand is well-respected amongst the healthcare and business fraternity. Our association with ICICI Ventures over the last few years has been rewarding and we are delighted to welcome Warburg Pincus as our future partner. We are confident that with their support we will achieve our vision of consolidating Metropolis as the foremost clinical diagnostics service provider across the emerging markets of South Asia, Africa and Middle East.”


Mr. Niten Malhan, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus India Private Limited said, “Warburg Pincus has a history of partnering with distinctive management teams to create durable businesses with sustainable value. Metropolis is a pioneer in the pathology industry in India and over a period of almost three decades, the company has grown to be the leader in the field of clinical diagnostics with a network of 55 state of the art laboratories across four countries. Led by a talented management team, Metropolis is well-positioned to leverage growth opportunities in the clinical diagnostics business.”

Mr. Dalip Pathak, member of the Executive Management Group at Warburg Pincus said, "Healthcare is an important focus area for Warburg Pincus. We are delighted through this investment to expand our presence in the sector in India, particularly by partnering with Metropolis, which is uniquely positioned in healthcare services."

O3 Capital acted as the sole financial advisor to Metropolis for this transaction. Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff acted as legal advisors to Warburg Pincus, Desai Diwanji acted as legal advisors to Metropolis and Ernst &Young conducted financial and accounting diligence for the transaction.

Olympus opens its new zone in Bengaluru

G.K.Vale Camera store, today launched its technology section with ‘Olympus Zone’ in Bengaluru that offers a comprehensive range of Olympus digital cameras, professional cameras, binoculars, accessories, voice recorders and a host of other products under one retail roof. After launching an exclusive store of Olympus on April 16th in Bengaluru, this zone is a step further in their plan of expansion in Indian market.


Located in the heart of Bengaluru’s Unit no. 103, Prestige Davanam Emporium, Municipal no 46, MG road, Bengaluru – 1, the new store in this ‘Silicon Valley’ has a wide range of ѕοmе of the best digital cameras ever made. The new store provides the right ambience to Olympus patrons who are assured of an enriching experience as they can touch and feel the entire range of Olympus products. Further, the store is manned by experienced sales team who will guide patrons’ right from entering the premises till the point of purchase.

Through the new store, Olympus plans to showcase and retail its latest breakthrough technology products like the ‘Tough’ series namely 14 Megapixel µ TOUGH-8010, µ TOUGH-6020 and µ TOUGH-3000, stylish ‘mju’ series, as well as the Olympus PEN series including the award winning avant-garde product PEN EPL-1.

On the LAUNCH of their fifth store in the country, Mr. Kinya Yoshimura, General Manager India Operations, Olympus Imaging Corporation said, “We believe in enhancing consumer experience by offering user-friendly solutions. We already have an all exclusive Olympus store in Bengaluru, but keeping in mind the demand here, now we have an Olympus Zone too. Bengaluru is a major step towards not only strengthening our brand but also promoting photography culture in a big way. Through this we hope to reach out to the patrons and bring to them the expertise of Olympus in professional cameras in an accessible form. We are breaking down the technology barriers and making it easy for every patron to relive their memories in the highest quality possible.”

Going forward Olympus aims to open similar outlets in other Metros across India.